1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a container for receiving and sterilizing a toothbrush, and storing it in a sanitary environment between uses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art generally recognizes that bacteria, germs and other debris collect on toothbrushes and are introduced into the mouth when the toothbrush is used, and that health professionals recommend changing toothbrushes frequently to insure proper oral hygiene and the overall health of toothbrush users. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,629 to Marchand and U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,219 to Ottimo. These prior patents also recognize the economic benefit of sterilizing brushes between uses as an alternative to discarding brushes before their useful life is past.
Toothbrush sterilization containers are generally known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 1,194,540 to Quartararo discloses a toothbrush case in which the bristles are positioned above a pad saturated with a volatile sterilizing fluid which evaporates to provide fumes that permeate and sterilize the bristles.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,200,236 to Ray discloses a toothbrush holder in the form of a tubular container which may be opened to insert and immerse the bristles in a germicidal solution and the open end of the tube may be closed and sealed to prevent leakage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,207,296 to Goodall discloses a container which encloses the entire toothbrush in a sterilizing environment created by the evaporation or sublimation of a germicidal pellet to form air currents to which the bristles are exposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,688 to Hurst discloses a toothbrush case having a reservoir with an opening therein through which a sterilizing solution or mouthwash solution is poured into the reservoir for cleaning or sterilization of the toothbrush.
The fact that these prior toothbrush holders are not in widespread use indicates that such holders are deficient in some way or unacceptable to toothbrush users for some reason. A problem with toothbrush holders which rely upon germicidal fumes to sterilize, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,194,540 and 3,207,296, is that circulating fumes are not effective in sterilizing the bristles. The prior devices which totally immerse the bristles in sterilizing solution use more solution than needed to sterilize the bristles and must carry an unnecessarily large supply of disinfecting solution in a form which is susceptible to spillage.